John Whelan (Labour)
Link to this: Individually | In context | Oireachtas source

The country has been deemed officially by Met Éireann to be in drought. In some ways, this is to be welcomed because we are entitled to a good few days of weather. After the past five years of rain during the summer, I do not want to rain on anyone’s parade, so to speak, and spoil the moment as I am enjoying the good weather myself.

The Internet, Twitter and Facebook seem to have gone into overload regarding the birth of a royal baby. In the context of what we have been discussing here for several days and what we are trying to achieve during the final days of the current sitting of the Seanad, it would be remiss of me not to wish the mother and baby well.

I have been preoccupied for some time, not just because of the latest spell of fine weather, by the failure of previous Governments to provide for strategic infrastructure in water provision. The Ahern Governments seemed to regale in the building of houses, with over 600,000 housing units built over ten years but nothing else besides. What we have been left with are concrete jungles and many housing estates without facilities, including for water provision. No one thought it through. It is the same with schools, with the Minister for Education and Skills, Deputy Ruairí Quinn, having to play catch-up in replacing prefab classrooms across the country.

This story is told time and again across urban centres. Water provision is like Cinderella. We have been left with Victorian water infrastructure, with water pipes leaking 40% of treated water, costing the taxpayer billions. It seems absurd that, in a country where up until this year it never seemed to stop raining, that we are now about to run out of water. I do not want to be part of a Government that allows the country to run out of water. In recent weeks the Government has been successful in attracting new investment from the Kerry Group, Pfizer and Intel which provides employment in the Leinster region way beyond Kildare where it is based.

These employees come from Laois, Offaly and Dublin and are glad of that employment. One of our strategic resources, assets and advantages is our clean, secure and sustainable supply of water. However, we are on a knife edge because the balance between supply and demand is very precarious and will deteriorate. Were it not for the recession, we would be at a more critical juncture.

I welcome the establishment of Irish Water and am perhaps one of the few politicians in the country who is willing to put his hand on his heart and welcome charging for water. I make no apologies for thinking it long overdue. However, it is wrong for the Government to emphasise and prioritise the water metering programme and charging for water without simultaneously ensuring we have a secure supply of water. I believe that can be achieved by the construction of the first reservoir in this country to be built in 70 years. It is a giant project between Dublin City Council and Bord na Móna that has been on the books for 12 years. They had the vision and foresight to pursue this at a time when it was not fashionable and when Bertie Ahern wanted to build the Bertie bowl. We should have been building and securing strategic infrastructure.

I welcome the establishment of Irish Water but I want to know how high on its priority list is the provision of the Garryhinch reservoir - a secure and safe water supply that we are in control of. If we are to aid commerce, industry, foreign direct investment, householders and the agricultural sector and meet our targets under Harvest 2020, we must have a secure supply of water. As we speak, ten local authorities are already rationing water. We have hosepipe bans, which are necessary because some people seem to think nothing of watering lawns with treated water. This is not acceptable and cannot continue but the answer to it is to build the Garryhinch reservoir in Portarlington which will ensure that this country has a secure supply of water for Leinster and the midlands. It is not a Dublin issue and I hope that Irish Water understands how serious the problem is. I hope the Minister of State has a positive answer for me this evening.

Alex White (Dublin South, Labour)
Link to this: Individually | In context | Oireachtas source

I thank the Senator for raising this important issue and his thoughtful remarks and analysis, as always. I am dealing with this matter on behalf of my colleague, the Minister for the Environment, Community and Local Government. The availability of a long-term, reliable, high-quality and economic supply of drinking water is a key requirement for the future development of the Leinster and the greater Dublin area. The Dublin regional water supply area consists of all of Dublin city, Fingal, South Dublin and Dun Laoghaire-Rathdown along with parts of Wicklow, Kildare and Meath.

The Dublin water supply scheme long-term water source is listed as a scheme at planning stage in the Department of the Environment, Community and Local Government's water services investment programme 2010-2013. Dublin City Council is the lead authority for this scheme on behalf of all of the water services authorities in the greater Dublin area. Studies carried out for the city council and a strategic environmental assessment have identified a preferred option which involves abstraction of raw water from Lough Derg and pumping the abstracted water through a new pipeline to a proposed storage reservoir at Garryhinch cut-away bog in County Offaly, forming part of a proposed midlands water-based eco-park. After treatment, water would then be conveyed to the west of Dublin where the new supply would be integrated with the existing storage and trunk distribution system. Dublin City Council has recently carried out a procurement process and I understand it will shortly be in a position to appoint a consultant to advance the further planning of this scheme.

The programme for project implementation has been developed based on the planning and statutory approval phase taking approximately two years. The detailed design and procurement phase should take a further two years, while the construction and commissioning phase should be completed in three years. Following their appointment by Dublin City Council, the consultants will undertake the environmental impact statement and other statutory requirements in preparation for a submission to An Bord Pleanála which will adjudicate on the matter.

Following the passage of comprehensive legislation later this year, Irish Water will assume responsibility for the delivery of investment in public water services infrastructure from 1 January 2014. The programme of investment for 2014 to 2015 is currently being prepared by Irish Water and the implementation strategy agreed by Government provides for the development of a detailed capital programme transition plan to ensure the smooth transition from the water service investment programme 2010-2013 to the Irish Water 2014-2015 plan. The objective of this plan, currently being developed with programme partners, is to ensure that there is no loss of momentum in capital delivery in respect of projects, be they at construction or in planning.

The Government recently approved the general scheme for the comprehensive legislation and it addresses planning and investment matters, including providing that Irish Water will prepare strategic investment plans addressing a 25-year period. The plans are aimed at addressing the provision of sufficient water services for domestic users as well as business and industry. In the course of preparing the plans, Irish Water will be required to consult with the economic and environmental regulators, the regional assemblies proposed under Putting People First and the local authorities. The Minister for the Environment, Community and Local Government will also be required to approve the plans.

Irish Water will also prepare water services capital investment plans for the purpose of submitting tariff proposals to the economic regulator. The capital investment plans will take account of the provisions set out in the water services strategic plan and will be aligned with the next cycle of river basin management plans required under the EU water framework directive. The plans will have regard to the river basin management plans, local development plans and resources available to the company from Government grants and its own resources. These mechanisms will ensure continued prioritisation of projects of strategic importance currently in planning in the Department of the Environment, Community and Local Government's water services investment programme following the hand-over of the capital programme to Irish Water. The Dublin water supply scheme long term water source is one such scheme. The establishment of a single water utility should allow for a more streamlined approach to the planning and delivery of the capital programme, which should result in important strategic projects being accelerated.

Lorraine Higgins (Labour)
Link to this: Individually | In context | Oireachtas source

Has the Senator a question?

John Whelan (Labour)
Link to this: Individually | In context | Oireachtas source

I do. I welcome the Minister of State's answer. I think the problem is duly identified and there is a solution afoot. My concern relates to the answer in that the lead-in time is up to three years. Time is of the essence. Three Ministers are involved - the Minister for Communications, Energy and Natural Resources; the Minister for the Environment, Community and Local Government; and the Minister of State with responsibility for the NewERA project who I know are all committed to ensuring this problem is addressed. However, it is important that we have a coherent strategy that identifies the urgency of this project and the fact that it needs to be addressed without any further delay.

I also pay due regard to the concerns of the Shannon valley and residents along the Shannon basin. Eighteen counties are involved. I would not for a second dismiss or in any fashion take lightly their environmental or ecological concerns. I would not support this project if I thought for one second that it would damage the environment or ecology of the Shannon basin. I reiterate that the Shannon is in flood for 80% of the year and that the proposal by Dublin City Council, Bord na Móna and now Irish Water is to abstract 2% to 4% of water from the Shannon when it is in flood. The water in question very often damages the land and causes serious problems throughout most of the year so I think it is a very viable project. It is in everyone's interest, not just the Dublin region but the midlands and beyond. This is a €500 million investment that will create 1,000 construction jobs and thereafter, we will have a resource and asset for the country in terms of strategic infrastructure and a recreational resource comparable to Rutland Water in east Anglia in the UK which will create 250 to 300 sustainable jobs. I wish to make the point that it would be putting the cart before the horse if we were to charge for and meter water before we provide for the provision of that water. I urge the Government and Ministers, including the Minister of State with us this evening, to back the message that they must expedite the construction of the Garryhinch reservoir because time is of the essence and because it would be an absolute absurdity to allow this country to run out of water. That is what we face unless we build a new reservoir.

Alex White (Dublin South, Labour)
Link to this: Individually | In context | Oireachtas source

I will certainly relay the Senator's additional remarks. I am sure the Minister for the Environment, Community and Local Government will take due note, as the Senator has asked, of the additional points, including his reference to the necessity to expedite these projects as quickly as possible.

Lorraine Higgins (Labour)
Link to this: Individually | In context | Oireachtas source

Is the Minister taking the final matter on the Adjournment?

Alex White (Dublin South, Labour)
Link to this: Individually | In context | Oireachtas source

Yes.